Backing growth-minded entrepreneurs - Furqan Alamgir

Connexin is one of the region’s fastest-growing technology businesses. Its founder and CEO, Furqan Alamgir, is bringing that high-growth mindset into his role as a Director and Key Partner of For Entrepreneurs Only (FEO). “FEO is a place where ambitious business owners can access the kind of support, challenge and capital that help companies move from ‘good’ to ‘high growth’,” he says, and is passionate about giving back to entrepreneurs who are on that journey.

Fibre Broadband and Internet of Things

Connexin has grown into a group of complementary businesses, with most people in Hull knowing the brand for its broadband and fibre services. Regionally, the company is now one of the largest providers in the region, having raised significant investment to build new fibre infrastructure and connect thousands of homes. At the same time, Furqan has built a national “Internet of Things” (IoT) business that connects everything from streetlights and traffic sensors to smart water meters across the UK, working with partners to deliver real-time data and efficiency for utilities and local authorities.

Building and scaling from Hull


From its base in Hull, Connexin now employs almost 200 people in the UK, with the majority in the city, and additional network operations teams in Indonesia providing 24/7/365 monitoring and support. As the business scaled, Furqan recognised that the region’s tech talent pipeline simply wasn’t keeping pace. Rather than accept that as a limitation, Connexin acquired and re-focused a struggling local training provider to create its own academy building an in-house training capability - now recognised as a centre of excellence in areas such as procurement and technical skills.

Culture is the non-negotiable


A theme of “don’t just complain, change it” runs through how Furqan structures the group. Once a business unit reaches around 50–60 people, it is spun into its own limited company with its own P&L and managing director, all reporting into a group “Office of the CEO”. That central team covers legal, finance, strategy, software, culture and people, supporting several business units while keeping each one agile and accountable.

“Connexin hires slowly for cultural fit and capability, tracks turnover closely, measuring leaders not only on results, but on how well they challenge, support and develop their teams.”

Challenge, accountability and learning


Furqan’s leadership approach is rooted in high trust and healthy challenge. Inspired by frameworks like “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” by Patrick Lencioni, Connexin encourages people at every level to speak up, debate decisions and take ownership. In meetings, it is normal for a junior team member to challenge a senior leader if they have the better insight, with hierarchy taking a back seat to expertise. Performance reviews and bonuses explicitly reference cultural behaviours - people are expected to question, contribute and “row in the right direction” for the business, not simply clock in and out.

“Finding the right ones, developing them, and being honest when someone is not the right fit,” Furqan says of the hardest part of running a fast‑growth business is people. Connexin sets clear expectations that higher pay comes from new skills or greater accountability, not simply time served. Progression is defined as becoming excellent at what you do - not only moving into management. This helps tackle entitlement, supports self‑development and keeps teams focused on value, not just job titles.

Why Connexin backs FEO


Furqan’s involvement with FEO started with scepticism at first as he thought, “FEO was just another networking group” and he questioned whether it was truly entrepreneurial, he says. However, with some direct challenge from fellow business leader Andrew Horncastle - he changed his view and instead of standing on the sidelines, he chose to join the board, become a Key Partner and help shape the future direction of the organisation.

Having joined the board, Furqan pushed for FEO to be bolder with its resources and impact. He advocated for using more of FEO’s reserves to create value for members - through inspirational speakers, and flagship events like the business awards. “FEO is unique for both a peer-support and mentoring as well as a practical growth engine,” he says. “A place where entrepreneurs can find advice, mentoring and potentially ‘fuel’ for expansion.”

What impressed him most was the openness of the board and leadership team to new ideas. With a refresh of the board, a new chair, and Jan and April driving delivery on the ground, FEO has embraced change while staying rooted in its core mission of supporting local entrepreneurs. Furqan points to the quality of guest speakers, the energy at events, and the behind-the-scenes work connecting members in need of help with those who have “been there and done it” as evidence that FEO is evolving in the right way.

Supporting those with a growth mindset with honest conversations


At the heart of Furqan’s involvement is a belief that entrepreneurs with a growth mindset need more than generic advice, “They need honest conversations about funding, structure, leadership and culture from people who live those realities every day.” He describes FEO as a critical antidote to the loneliness many founders feel, “A place where business owners can talk openly about cash, people challenges, restructuring or exit plans with peers who understand.”

“If businesses don’t want to grow, I would get on their nerves.”

He is particularly passionate about helping businesses that could grow faster but lack exposure to options such as private equity, structured debt, or succession models beyond simply handing the business to the next generation. In practice, that has seen him introduce FEO members to investment banks, share his own experience of scaling and refinancing, and encourage others to think bigger about what their companies could become.

For Furqan, supporting FEO is an extension of how he runs Connexin - if something in the local ecosystem frustrates you, get involved and fix it. By backing FEO as a Key Partner and serving on the board, he hopes to help encourage a stronger, more ambitious community of entrepreneurs in Hull and East Yorkshire - one where high-growth companies are the norm, and where those with a growth mindset can find the support, challenge and opportunities they need to thrive.